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Why I Believe In Annihilation [message #876]

Wed, 14 November 2007 05:56

Michael The Disciple is currently offline

Michael The Disciple
Messages: 166
Registered: September 2007
Location: Somerset Ky

Senior Member

This is a study I did on the subject a few years ago. I will put it here in its entirety tonight. Then as time is available I will discuss it with whoever is interested.

Part 1

Saints,

Before the Assemblies can go on to perfection, they must build their faith on certain truths. One of these is Eternal Judgment.
God has a plan to rid the world of the wicked. By finding his "bottom line" we can proceed to understand this plan.

Old Testament:

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:4

God says souls that sin will die. The key is to understand he means they will die for eternity. ALL people will die the NORMAL death that comes to men if they be saint or sinner.

5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God. EZEKIEL 18:5-9

Now if God is just speaking of the normal life here it would mean that the one who obeys him would NEVER die a normal death! If he lives right he will not die. Was Ezekiel a righteous man? How about Daniel? Yet they DIED! Just as the wicked died so did the righteous. So God was looking beyond the temporal life.

New Testament:

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Romans 8:12-13

Paul promises those who live in the flesh they will die. He promises those who walk in the Spirit they will live. Did Paul walk in the Spirit? Certainly! Did he die? Yes. But why if this was talking about the normal death? He should have continued to live because he mortified the deeds of the flesh.

But again BOTH the righteous and the wicked DIED. The way to understand both Ezekiel and Paul is to see they had ETERNITY in mind when they were inspired to write of life and death.

Paul makes this revealing statement:

21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:21-23

Notice the CONTRAST in verse 23.

Those who sin DIE. Those who serve Christ have eternal life.
It does NOT say the wages of sin is eternal life in Hell.

Did Yeshua teach the DEATH of wicked souls?

28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt. 10:28

The soul CAN be destroyed! Yeshua said so. The context is clear. Men are not able to KILL the soul. But God is able to destroy it. Kill and destroy mean the same thing here.

This agrees with the penalty God forewarned through his prophet Ezekiel. The soul that sinneth it SHALL DIE.

The purpose of the lake of fire is to DESTROY or ANNIHILATE the souls of the wicked.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev. 20: 13-15

God is restoring this important truth to those who have ears.
The first or NORMAL death is experienced by ALL. But those who die the SECOND DEATH will never live again. This is their punishment. IT IS ETERNAL. There is no coming back, no second chance. When they enter the lake of fire they will eventually DIE and that will last for everlasting.

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